Hammocking the Camino

Kiwipic · Feb 10, 2014

I'm a first timer planning to walk the Camino Portuges at the beginning of July. I'm going with a small group and we plan to camp at least some of the nights. I'd like to bring my eno hammock instead of a sleeping bag, thinking it will be cooler and cut down on weight, but I'm unfamiliar with the landscape. Are there trees near enough to hammock on the Camino Portuges, or am I better off buying a lightweight sleeping bag? Thoughts?

Deleted member 3000 · Feb 10, 2014

When you do not camp, you need a sleeping bag or sleep sack. I think you will find it difficult to find trees for hanging the hammock. A sleeping bag is probably a better choice.

Kiwipic · Feb 10, 2014

falcon269 said:
When you do not camp, you need a sleeping bag or sleep sack. I think you will find it difficult to find trees for hanging the hammock. A sleeping bag is probably a better choice.

Thanks! Any lightweight sleeping bags you'd recommend? Should I also bring a mat? From what I understand we'll be camping the majority of the time.

Anniesantiago · Feb 10, 2014

I was pretty sure I answered this, but can't find it.

I thought about taking my Clark Hammock on the Camino, but was glad I did not.
There are NOT trees all along the way.
There are many more stretches without appropriate trees or no trees at all.
Take a sleeping bag
I have a Marmot Pounder Plus that works great in summer.

Deleted member 3000 · Feb 10, 2014

This is a good one; I have an earlier model:
http://gearx.com/lafuma-lightway-45...le&utm_medium=cse&utm_campaign=GoogleShopping

Diogo92 · Feb 10, 2014

Kiwipic said:
I'm a first timer planning to walk the Camino Portuges at the beginning of July. I'm going with a small group and we plan to camp at least some of the nights. I'd like to bring my eno hammock instead of a sleeping bag, thinking it will be cooler and cut down on weight, but I'm unfamiliar with the landscape. Are there trees near enough to hammock on the Camino Portuges, or am I better off buying a lightweight sleeping bag? Thoughts?

@Kiwipic, welcome to the Forum.

For what I remember, there are not a lot of trees where you can hang your hammock. Well, actually there are trees, but you won't find anything with a good space to hang it. It's either too close or either too far. So I thing that the best for you it's to buy a lightweight tent. Or you can take the sleeping bag + bivy bag. If you only take the sleeping bag, at least don't forget about the liner and the mattress.

Just bear in mind about this situation also: http://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/wild-camping-on-the-caminho-português-allowed-or-forbidden.20903

I think that you'll not have any problem, BUT, you are going on the worst time of the fire season, and Forest Police tend to do a lot of patrolling (at least here in Portugal). After you reach to Spain, the law it's very different for camping. You can't camp in the wild if you are in range of a Camping park ( think it's 3km), you have to camp at least 300m from a big city, and you can't make fire, which means you have to take a camping stove.

I know about people who camp along the Caminho Português, and they seem to have no problems with the authorities, but sometimes it happens you know.

Hope that I've helped you.

Best Regards
Diogo

Albertinho · Feb 10, 2014

Diogo92 said:
@Kiwipic, welcome to the Forum.

For what I remember, there are not a lot of trees where you can hang your hammock. Well, actually there are trees, but you won't find anything with a good space to hang it. It's either too close or either too far. So I thing that the best for you it's to buy a lightweight tent. Or you can take the sleeping bag + bivy bag. If you only take the sleeping bag, at least don't forget about the liner and the mattress.

Just bear in mind about this situation also: http://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/wild-camping-on-the-caminho-português-allowed-or-forbidden.20903

I think that you'll not have any problem, BUT, you are going on the worst time of the fire season, and Forest Police tend to do a lot of patrolling (at least here in Portugal). After you reach to Spain, the law it's very different for camping. You can't camp in the wild if you are in range of a Camping park ( think it's 3km), you have to camp at least 300m from a big city, and you can't make fire, which means you have to take a camping stove.

I know about people who camp along the Caminho Português, and they seem to have no problems with the authorities, but sometimes it happens you know.

Hope that I've helped you.

Best Regards
Diogo

I could not answered this better my friend

I only wonder where the campings are close to the camino path. I only found 2 of them between
Porto and Vila do Conde.
I will try to find back the link to the Portuges websites you gave me once .
Um abraço

Peregrinandbearit · Jun 12, 2014

On a related note, I hope...is it possible to use a lightweight hammock in place of a sleeping bag liner? I'm wondering about the possibility of converting mine, perhaps with velcro...

Trailhawk · Aug 7, 2021

I am planning of using hammock and a canopy sheet combo on my Camino next year. Mid April, I think. I would be doing the Camino del Norte and Primitivo. While a hammock is basically rigged to hang, I could use it on the ground for as long as I have at least a tree or a post to tie to, and a ground pad and sleeping bag liner. My hammock has a bug net.

...or I could simply use windows or window grilles to claim a resting spot. I would never do wild camping but sleep in albergues and hostels. The hammock I am planning of using only when I found camping areas as my only option.

Kanga · Aug 8, 2021

Trailhawk said:
I am planning of using hammock and a canopy sheet combo on my Camino next year. Mid April, I think. I would be doing the Camino del Norte and Primitivo. While a hammock is basically rigged to hang, I could use it on the ground for as long as I have at least a tree or a post to tie to, and a ground pad and sleeping bag liner. My hammock has a bug net.

...or I could simply use windows or window grilles to claim a resting spot. I would never do wild camping but sleep in albergues and hostels. The hammock I am planning of using only when I found camping areas as my only option.

This looks like an interesting way of setting up. I've always thought that hammocks look much more comfortable than sleeping on the ground, but have the problem of needing something from which to hang.

We took a tent on the Norte and hardly used it. We carried it almost to the end and eventually posted it on from Ribadao.

Happy planning!

Trailhawk · May 10, 2023

I carried a hammock and tarp shelter but I never used it. The season when I journeyed was not at its peak and a lot of albergues began to open. Where one is closed, there were other alternatives like pension houses, hotels and casa rurales, only these were a bit expensive.

I donated the shelter to the Camino in Orio on Day 2 while I mailed back home my hammock from Oviedo on Day 20. It was an experiment worth learning.

Albertinho · May 10, 2023

Because the original OP posted this thread in 2014 ! and at the Portuguese part of this forum. Wild camping in Portugal is forbidden .You will be fined by the police.
They are afraid of forest fires.

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